For this purpose, according to the present invention ballistic protection is provided against projectiles, splinters, sharp objects and the like particularly for personal clothing and equipment as well as for vehicles, vessels, aircraft or fixed installations, which protection consists of at least two substantially plate-shaped protective elements or at least two groups of plate-shaped protective elements. The protection is characterised in that between the two plate-shaped elements or groups of plate-shaped elements are one or more layers of liquid or a liquid-like medium stored in one or more containers.
The idea behind the invention is that a projectile that hits liquid or the like, such as for example water, will behave in the same way as when it hits soft tissue. When the projectile first hits a plate, the velocity is checked, the projectile is further deformed and rapidly becomes unstable. When it subsequently hits a liquid, the projectile turns as mentioned above. The projectile is now considerably easier to capture and stop and when it then hits the second plate-shaped element or group of elements, this element checks and stops the projectile in approximately the same manner as a low-velocity projectile by dissipating the energy in the point of impact over a substantially larger area.
Thus it will be possible to employ the invention in a wide range of different areas of application where a light protection with two “plates” has an intermediate container. If required, the container or desired parts of the container can be filled with a liquid in order to provide increased protection.
The liquid may, for example, be water which is easy to handle while also being easily available.
The liquid container can also be used for storing drinking water and in this connection the container may be provided with a tapping system which permits a person to drink directly from the container.
When the container is empty, moreover, it can be filled with air which will provide increased insulation as well as contributing to buoyancy if required.
If it is very cold the liquid used in the container may have additives, for example alcohol to prevent the formation of ice.
In different embodiments the liquid or the liquid-like medium is stored in one or more rigid containers. Alternatively, the liquid may be stored in one or more flexible containers and in a further embodiment one or more the containers may overlap one another. If it is desirable to fill the space between the plate-shaped elements constantly, a rigid container may be employed. In a rigid container of this kind, however, the liquid will at all times be located at the bottom which does not necessarily provide good enough protection at the desired points. In an alternative embodiment, therefore, the plate-shaped elements may be connected with one or more elastic elements/bodies which draw the elements towards each other, thereby reducing the volume in a flexible container and thus keeping the liquid at a uniform pressure level. Alternatively, the plate-shaped elements can be kept at a fixed distance apart with distance pieces of suitable dimensions. As a combination the distance between the plate-shaped elements can have a lower limit by providing distance pieces with a length between the elements corresponding to the least distance desired between the elements.
In order to ensure that all the liquid is not lost if the container is punctured or damaged, in an embodiment one or more of the containers may also be interconnected in groups where each group of interconnected containers is provided with a device for filling and tapping. Several groups of containers must therefore be filled and tapped. This also offers the possibility for priority protection if a person wishes to use the liquid as a drink.
In a preferred embodiment the container(s) for liquid are therefore releasably mounted between the plate-shaped elements, thus enabling the container(s) to be replaced. This facilitates the possibility of cleaning, etc.
It is preferred, moreover, that the container(s) are provided with a filling means or connection for a filling means, thus enabling them to be transported empty and filled when required. With regard to this it is also preferred that the container(s) are provided with a tapping means or connection for a tapping means. If the container is to be used as a drinking water reservoir, it is preferred that the container(s) is provided with a means or connection for a means that permits the liquid to be drunk by a person.